The American Academy of Pediatrics has videos for parents who need to learn more about teen depression, helping teens cope with anxiety and stress, learning the warning signs of teen suicide, and dealing with behavioral and mental health problems in teens. Some of the early warning signs that a teen is depressed include changes in appetite, changes in mood, withdrawal from social activities, withdrawal from family activities, anxiety, and substance abuse. While most teens experience short, temporary periods of emotions, feelings, and confusion about life, parents must learn the warning signs and treatment options for more serious adolescent mental health problems.
The Academy suggests parents immediately seek help for your teen if you observe these adolescent behaviors:
- Marked change in school performance
- Inability to cope with problems and daily activities
- Marked changes in sleeping and/or eating habits
- Frequent physical complaints
- Sexual acting out
- Depression shown by sustained, prolonged negative mood and attitude, often accompanied by poor appetite, difficulty sleeping or thoughts of death
- Abuse of alcohol and/or drugs
- Intense fear of becoming obese with no relationship to actual body weight, purging food or restricting eating
- Persistent nightmares
- Threats of self-harm or harm to others
- Self-injury or self-destructive behavior
- Frequent outbursts of anger, aggression
- Threats to run away
- Aggressive or non-aggressive consistent violation of rights of others; opposition to authority, truancy, thefts, or vandalism
- Strange thoughts, beliefs, feelings, or unusual behaviors
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